The EasyBee Board is an accessory board that features an Atmel ATZB-24-A2/B0 ZigBit Module with Dual-band Chip Antenna. It is a low-power 802.15.4 / ZigBee module that provides a superior radio performance with exceptional ease of integration. This module also eliminates the need for costly and time-consuming RF development and shortens time to market, while the embedded 802.15.4 / ZigBee software ensures standard-based wireless connectivity for a wide range of applications.

The EasyBee has a female IDC10 connector to plug it into a development system. It communicates with the host system via serial UART. The DIP switch allows you to set which pins are used for RX/TX, and the silkscreen on the back of the PCB explains the settings required for specific mikroElektronika development systems. There also are six pads on the side of the board for direct access to UART pins RX, TX, RTS and CTS.

The board receives power from the host system you plug it into. A jumper is used to configure the EasyBee for use with 3.3V or 5V systems.

Use in your own design

While this board was created originally for mikroElektronika's development systems, it's certainly possible to use in your own project. To do so, you may want to pick up IDC10 box headers that you can solder onto your PCB, or an EasyTEST board and jumper wires to wire it up however you need to.

ZigBee Add-on Module Features

BitCloud embedded software, including serial bootloader and AT command set